Do todays liberal democrats even understand what kind of people they have aligned themselves with?

you have hit the nail right on the head! They will never come right out and be honest with their agenda. BUT here is what we really need to be watchful of. Little by little they lobby and cry and try to create a mindset in this country to employ their ideas. They are sneeky about it. They cloak it in tragedies (V-Tech shootings - ban guns) or something like smoking bans... sure it sounds good to many people, me included ( I am not a smoker) but... when you allow government to create laws like this that effect the private sector you slowly begin to give up your freedoms. Next is Trans Fat.... then what is the next thing they need to "save you from". The market will take care of these situations if the scientific proof is in the pudding.